VASCO: The Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Deepak Naik has decided to shift Shantinagar based animal shelter managed by People For Animal (PFA), away from residential area.
The decision was taken following an inspection of animal shelter by MMC officials on Thursday.
Ward Councillor Yatin Kamurlekar, Municipal Engineer Manoj Arsekar, municipal inspectors and several local residents were present during the inspection.
According to Naik, MMC has received several complaints from the residents living in the vicinity of animal shelter at Shantinagar that the PFA is not maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in its premises and has been releasing all their sewage in open thereby leaving the residents to suffer foul smell.
Naik said that the residents also brought to his notice that the PFA officials have carried out filling near the compound wall of animal centre due to which a portion of compound wall has collapsed.
He said that the animals and especially the dogs from the animal shelter have been coming out through the broken portion of the compound wall and defecate near their homes and on the internal lanes which now stinks all the time.
The residents also complained of having sleepless night due to barking of dogs at the animal shelter located in the residential area, Naik said.
“I have inspected the site and found that PFA has not maintained the animal shelter in hygienic condition. Firstly, the foul stench is unbearable and there is no doubt that the people would be facing severe hardship. As the issue is related to public health and since the PFA has carried out some works without out permissions, I have directed the municipal engineer to issue show cause notice to the PFA and we would soon make arrangements to shift animal shelter away from residential area in Shantinagar as we cannot allow people face risk,” Naik told Herald.
